Bubble Bath Dangerous for Little Girls??

Updated on March 30, 2010
D.W. asks from Wichita, KS
44 answers

My 17 month old daughter loves bubbles in her bath! My Mom told me when I was a baby (a few years ago:)) that she was told it causes infections for little girls privates. Has anyone else heard that?

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J.C.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes, I heard that it can cause irritation. We were experiencing some pain for my DD and we cut out the bubble baths for a couple of weeks and it helped. Now we haven't banned bubble baths, but we limit them to one a wee.

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F.B.

answers from Kansas City on

never had a problem with my niece or any of the girls I was a nanny for (3) over the years, we love bubble bath. (PS it's soap, so there should be no cause for infection, soap cleans infection)

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K.V.

answers from Kansas City on

D.,
I don't want to sound to old school, but my granddaughter's
doctor said that too. His actual words were do not let her sit
in bubble bath water to play. If she wants to play let her do it
for a short time then bath her and get her as soon as possible.
My granddaughter would get so irritated and red that we would
have to get some cream for her. So he suggested that she
would not get into the tub with bubble bath and stay too long.
I know how much they enjoy it so. Maybe there is an organic
one or one that would not cause the irritation.
My best to you and if you find one let me know,
Thanks!!

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

It is true, they can lead to UTIs and yeast infections. In boys too, they are just not as susceptible.
If your daughter never had any problems, a bubble bath once in a while will probably not hurt - I just would not do it every day.
The problem is that soap destroys the natural defenses of our skin and all the "good bacteria" that keep you healthy. If you sit in soapy water the soap will get into the vagina and sometimes the urethra. There it causes irritation and can lead to overgrowth of yeast. This is true for adult women too.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

I wouldn't say it causes infections perse, BUT soap in general can cause one's ph balance to go out of whack which in turn yes, can cause a rash or in some cases can add to a yeast infection.. it's also very drying due to sodium chloride which is what makes the bubbles...

2 moms found this helpful
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B.S.

answers from Joplin on

Yes. They do. Bubble baths should be a RARE treat treat, and when you do allow it, be sure to use something mild.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.G.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes, it easily can cause infections and irritations. When I was a child (even up to my adolescents) I would always get some type of infection or VERY irritated from bubble baths. There are some very harsh chemicals in those products to make them sudsy. I strongly urge you to shop somewhere like Whole Foods and get an all natural bubble bath without sodium lauryl sulfate. I have a five year old daughter and I have used nothing but all natural organic products on her since day one. Hope this helps!

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S.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

yes. it is true. ask your pediatrician. Mine said the same. Look up online about UTI in little girls and it'll say that girls should avoid bubble baths. You can google: "UTI in little girls, bubble baths" and there should be plenty of information available.

Since my daughter was 2, we stopped giving her bubble baths (she's 4 now). That's sad because kids are meant to have bubble baths. That's the fun part of taking a bath!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Kansas City on

I second (or third or what have you) california baby. I used to get utis a lot, and got more with bubble baths, but my girls have had no problems with the california baby stuff (or anything natural, I would think).
K.

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S.C.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, I believe that is what caused UTIs for my daughter. After she was diagnosed, we were told by the pediatrician not to give bubble baths. The pediatric urologist said the same after many UTIs. It seems that once you get one the chance of reccurence is high. It's just miserable for the child no matter how they get a sample of urine for testing when the child is not potty trained. Now that I know how horrible the whole ordeal is, I would recommend leaving out the bubbles and getting fun toys for the tub instead. We use a minimal amount of California Baby or Burt's Bees body wash now.

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R.H.

answers from Johnstown on

I found out by accident that aveeno baby body wash makes bubbles! Every other type of actual bubble bath that we've tried has caused some irritation for my DD but this is not the case w/the Aveeno.

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K.W.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes, it can, if your child is prone to urinary tract infections. If your daughter ever complains about pain when she is urinating or if she needs to go often with very little output, then she will need to be treated and you should discontinue the bubble baths. If she tolerates them well, then it's fine, just maybe not every time. Occasionally you should give her a bath with just warm water and no bubbles.

D.P.

answers from Gainesville on

yeah i have heard this actually i just got this bad news from the doctor like 2 weeks ago about my daughter she vaginitis a type of uti, and the only cause it could be bc we hadnt recently change anything,so the doctor told us to dicontinue use of her bubble bath and to use baby j&j soap on her and now her problem is gone..

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R.J.

answers from San Diego on

I've been told this is a myth by my ped and many other sources - just like how women "shouldn't" bathe or swim on their periods (but have first hand experience that babywipes cause yeast infections in adults... the USMC does not really provide toilet paper in the field... so WM's learn the hard way not to depend on babywipes... imagine 300 women all with a yeast infection... yeah... good times).

That said... we just used baby shampoo as our "bubble" bath. It doesn't bubble as much... but it did dual duty of cleaning and fun. Just need to rinse off afterward.

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M.S.

answers from Houston on

Look on the bottle, most of the ones I have bought say prolonged exposure can cause genital irritation, I buy the sensitive skin mr. Bubbles w/ no dye or perfume, and only use it on occasion, although I am not sure if it's even bad to use but I have wondered this also.

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M.F.

answers from Kansas City on

I just gave my 2.5 yr old her first bubble bath. (because of my own susceptibility to UTI's) Now I am battling HER infection with no insurance...I guess I'm heading to the ER so I can NOT pay them. Stupid, STUPID, STUPID...I knew better.

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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I typically don't use soap, just water and essential oils. It doesn't dry out there skin, but the water and a washcloth still keeps them clean.

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A.F.

answers from Lawrence on

Yes it can cause urinary tract infections. Limit the bubble baths to once a week. Most bubble bath bottles have this warning hidden in the small print

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H.H.

answers from Hartford on

this happened to my sister and it was awful. bc of that I do limit bubbles just to be safe

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H.S.

answers from Detroit on

If a child, boys and girls alike take too many bubble baths, they can get a yeast infection. There are topical creams (like diaper rash ointment) that can be rubbed in to prevent them. I used to get them all the time when I was younger. Limit her bubble baths to maybe twice a week. Good luck and don't panic too much! Save that for when she realizes that boys don't have cooties after all. :D

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M.K.

answers from Stationed Overseas on

Yes it is possible for her to get a UTI from the bubble bath. I would suggest not doing it every night and rinse her off well afterwards. Some kids tend to get a UTI easier than others and some not at all.

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Yes. It can cause UTI's in girls. Some girls are more prone to them, than others. I've also heard colored t-paper can too(do they even make it anymore?).

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L.M.

answers from Honolulu on

bubble bath that is manufactured outside of the USA uses water from places that don't actually sterilize the water (so you are getting sewage water...). I know that was the case 20 years ago, and still might be the case. I just make my own. I use the shampoo method and not the dish-soap.

http://howtomakestuff.com/2004/01/23/arts-and-crafts-194/...

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

they can if done a lot. my 3 year old daughter takes bubble baths a few times a week and i have yet to hear her complain about it hurting when she pees or anything like that. her bubble bath is hypo allergenic. they also have bubble bath by johnson thats baby safe maybe try that.

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A.O.

answers from San Francisco on

I know when I was an infant I was allergic to any fragrances and/or dyes that ended up causing me irritation, even something simple as bubble bath. But other than that, anything is possible I guess.

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R.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

I used to have that problem when I was a kid actually, so I haven't used regular bubble bath with my daughter.
I DID find some great bubble bath from California Baby that's extremely gentle and smells good. You can get it at Diapers.com. I bought some for my daughter (21 months), thinking she would love a bubble bath, but she doesn't like the bubbles to touch her. (Oh, well.) But it bubbled up nicely (not as much as Mr. Bubble-type products though).

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M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

It can cause irritation in very sensitive skin, but what I'm more concerned about with my daughter (21 mons. and also LOVES bubbles) is that it dries out her skin and makes her rashy and itchy. Maybe just once in awhile?

You can also try rinsing her off with pure water after you start draining the bubbles. That should help rinse off any irritating soap.

Have fun!

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

D.,
Yes, there is a warning on the bottle if the product might cause it. Unfortunately lots of children products are not safe or nontoxic. If you are interested in some that are, let me know.
I used to let my toddlers blow bubbles while they were in the tub, maybe she would enjoy that.
Victoria

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B.B.

answers from Springfield on

Yes, It causes yeast infections. Why, I'm not sure, but it does happen. my granddaughter has the same problem when she takes bubble baths.

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L.K.

answers from Kansas City on

No a myth, very true. It is actually the scents and sometimes dyes more than anything. Even if you don't think it's true, why take the chance with your daughter's health?

Lori K

C.S.

answers from Charlotte on

Yea, causes infections for adult women too. The soap kills the "good" bacteria allowing the yeast to overgrow. Can also be irritating to the sensitive skin down there.

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J.B.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter was diagnosed with urinary reflux when she was 20 months old which caused her to be prone to UTIs. We use California Baby bubble bath (online or Target carries it). It's a little pricey (around $10) but supposed to be safe and it has a bubble wand inside that my daughter loves to blow bubbles with during her bath.

T.N.

answers from Albany on

One more thing, ANY bacteria in your tub can give a sucseptible girl a UTI, if you don't feel like scrubbing the tub EVERY day, spray thoroughly with Lysol, wait a few minutes and rinse with water before she gets in it. When I was young EVERYTHING gave me UTIs, when my daughter was born I prepared for theworst, she is 13 now and still LOVES her baths, I taught her the Lysol trick so she can do it herself now. Plus girls need to know to wipe from the front to the back.....she has never had a UTI but she gets HIVES all the time from vvarious person products, lol!

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C.H.

answers from Wichita on

Yes this is true! I have a little gird that has battled urinary tract infections since she was one. One of the things that my doctor told me is not to use bubble bath in the tub since it can be an irritate to their privates. So even though it is fun, it is not the best thing to use for little girls.

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M.S.

answers from Columbia on

On most of the bubble baths we have bought, they actually say on the back may cause urinary track infections. Of course this is only if you use it everytime she takes a bath. I actually just use my son's shampoo, and it works about the same. The bubbles may not last as long, but he ususally is to into his toys to even notice by that time. I would not use it excessively.

T.D.

answers from Fayetteville on

Our pediatrician advised us not to use bubble bath for a while, and we use California Baby, which is good stuff... because my daughter was complaining that her vulva was itching. She's 2 and a half. If you're not having issues though, keep on keepin' on with the bubble bath. Some little girls don't have issues, while others do... They are all so different.

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P.G.

answers from Des Moines on

I believe it can also lead to irritation of the urethra and bladder infection due to the short urethra little girls have.

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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

The doctor told my mom NOT to let me have bubble bath when I was little. I had chronic UTIs and he just thought it was best to eliminate anything that could be a contributing factor. I think the problem for little girls it that the urethra is shorter than in little boys and so they can more quickly develop an irritation/infection.

Find an organic version with no dyes or perfumes and maybe that will be safer.

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M.B.

answers from Kansas City on

It happened to my daughter when she was about your little one's age. Our doctor recommended using nothing other than Johnson's (or the equivalent off brand) since it is safer and has less perfumes/dyes in it. She gets pretty bummed about not having bubbles in the bath tub ... but we just let her bring in toys instead.

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S.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

Unless there are other issues like chronic UTIs, it's unlikely it would cause a problem. There are only studies of teens and adults, but little to no water can get in the vagina without force (like jumping into a pool).
I've only seen these studies linked to birthing. There was a lot of controversy about "once the water has broken a woman shouldn't get in a tub because it can produce an infection". But they've done studies where an insert like a tampon was placed in the vagina then the woman was told to bath normally and the insert came out drying showing that water doesn't get up there and a baby isn't at risk if the mom labors or births in a tub.

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C.R.

answers from Seattle on

I have heard that, too! I have no idea how true it is, my daughter used to love bubble baths also. I'm sure every once in awhile can't hurt...

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J.B.

answers from Seattle on

It can happen. My daughter would sometimes get red and irritated after a bubble bath (but never full blown UTI's). We found that if she only had bubbles one a week, used a more natural brand, and did a clean water rinse as she was about to step out of the bath it didn't become an issue.

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M.A.

answers from Knoxville on

My daughter was bleeding like a light period and the dr said it was the bubble bath so I stoped using bubble bath and she got better right away. It still sound weird to me since it is soap and we use soap to clean there but it was the cause of alot of her issues her infections down there also stopped when we stopped using bubble bath.

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K.M.

answers from Boston on

Dangerous is too strong a word, some girls get irritated, if yours does, lay off. Many baby shampoos bubble up if you run a capful in the stream of water. Have fun.

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